More on the commercialization of Denver's parkland

From Parks and Wreck:

Below is a list of current and proposed Parks and Recreation Temporary Vending sites.  Please review the list and let us know if you have any questions about the addition of the 9 park sites, 5 athletic field sites and the 15 outdoor pools as new temporary vending locations.  Please offer feedback to angela.casias@denvergov.org by May 31, 2010.

The Temporary Vending Permit provides licensed vendors the opportunity to temporarily sell food and non-alcoholic beverages at designated sites approved by the City and County of Denver. Only stationary, non-mobilized food vending carts are permitted.  Permits are offered on a monthly basis.  Non-permitted vendors are not allowed within 300 feet of a Denver park.

  

Temporary Vending Sites

Park Locations

Current

Barnum Park	Skyline Park - North Block     -           2 locations
Confluence Park	Skyline Park -  Mid Block        -           2 locations
Garfield Park	Skyline Park -  South Block     -           3 locations
Houston Park	Sloans Lake Park
Skatepark	Washington Park (4 locations)

Proposed

Cramner Park	Cheesman Park
Berkeley Park	Stapleton Central Park
Rocky Mountain Lake	Falcon Park
City Park (3 locations)	O’Fallen Park
Civic Center Park

Athletic Field Locations

Current

Barnum East	Kennedy Complex (2 locations)
Barnum North	Montbello Central (2 locations)
Bible Park	Ruby Hill Complex
Garland Park	Vanderbilt Complex
Jackie Robinson Complex (4 locations)	Veterans Park

Proposed

Lowry Soccer	Parkfield
Kennedy Soccer	Green Valley East
Val Verde

Outdoor Pools

Proposed (outside entrance)

Argo	Green Valley Ranch East
Aztlan	Harvard Gulch
Barnum	Harvey
Berkeley	Lincoln
Congress	Mestizo-Curtis
Cook	Ruby Hill
Eisenhower	Swansea
Garfield Lake

From the e-wire:
[To] All - Athmar Park has been the victim of "mobile" vendors for many years. In fact, in recent years, vendors set up mini-plazas in Huston Lake Park that totally blocked access to the walkways for pedestrians. Those vendors were belligerent, aggressive, and completely dismissive of Denver regulations. The Athmar Park Neighborhood Association was successful in getting Environmental Health and NIS to remove those vendors from HLP. However, the effect on area residents was so profoundly negative that APNA had other concerns regarding vendors beside the obvious commercialization of Denver parkland. [This] proposal seems to be an attempt to blatantly commercialize Denver parkland and seems to be yet another ploy to disturb the restful quality of Denver's parks. I have not seen a cost/benefit analysis for this proposal. I believe the revenue numbers should be forthcoming, as well as plans for handling adverse behavior.

I believe that allowing this type of commercialization, as innocuous as it seems on the face of it, is simply a wedge to help open the door to all types of revenue-generating events/uses in our parks.

Karen